PDEA arrests brothers in Leyte buy-bust

TACLOBAN CITY – A member of a local youth council and his brother were arrested in a buy-bust operation over the weekend.

Authorities identified the suspects as Aaron David Balane, 23, a Sangguniang Kabataaan (SK) kagawad of Barangay Iniguihan, Bato town in Leyte; and Angelo Balane, 27. They were collared around 9:30 p.m. Saturday by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives in Barangay Kalanggaman also in Bato town.

“The arrest of Balane only confirms that even barangay officials are engaging in illegal drug trade. In this case, it is unfortunate that an SK leader was arrested for illegal drug activity,” said PDEA regional information officer Rogelette Urgel in a phone interview.

Seized from the brothers were two sachets of suspected “shabu”, weighing 0.6 grams and valued at P1,000.

The two suspects are now detained at the Bato police jail.

Earlier, PDEA named Vladimir Adlawon, the former chairman of Barangay Kalanggaman where the brothers were arrested, in its so-called “narcolist” but Adlawon denied any links with the illegal drugs trade. He said Bato police has cleared him from such allegation. /kga